Deployment of second carrier to Gulf a 'reminder': Gates

AFP ^ | 4-29-08

[STARWISE]

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Tuesday the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf should be seen as a "reminder" of US military power in the region.

But Gates flatly denied that the United States was preparing the ground for military strikes against Iran.

"I don't think we'll have two carriers for a protracted period of time. So I don't see it as an escalation. I think it could be seen, though, as a reminder," Gates told reporters here during a visit with Mexican officials.

The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf follows a noticeable hardening in US rhetoric against Iran for meddling in Iraq and playing a destabilizing role in the region.

Commander Jeff Davis, a US Navy spokesman, said the Lincoln would overlap with the departing carrier USS Harry Truman by "no more than a day or two." He said it was a "routine regular replacement."

CBS News reported that the Pentagon has ordered new options be drawn up for attacking Iran and that the State Department has begun drafting an ultimatum that would tell Iran to stop meddling or else.

But when asked here whether the Pentagon was preparing for military strikes against Iran, Gates said flatly, "No."

The stepped-up US rhetoric against Iran has come against the backdrop of an intensifying violence in Iraq as US forces clash with Shiite militia "special groups" that the US military say are backed by Iran.

[STARWISE]

[STARWISE]

~~PING!

[familyop]

“Don’t worry, they’ll row for a month before they figure out I’m fakin’ it.” —the “Deacon” character in the movie, “Waterworld.”

[STARWISE]

God bless and protect all our awesome military.

[familyop]

What I was referring to...

"But when asked here whether the Pentagon was preparing for military strikes against Iran, Gates said flatly, 'No.'"

[STARWISE]

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and protect them all.

[STARWISE]

;)

[Lost Dutchman]

I love being a citizen of a country that can project a force strong enough to totally eliminate a belligerent government as a “reminder”.

[exit82]

One is a lonely number.

Two is a reminder.

Three means the balloon is up.

[SoCalPol]

Just watching the series on PBS “Carrier”
about of The local San Diego based carriers, Nimitz
in the Gulf and the Air Wing and ther activities.

The Reagan here has been active also in the war.

[STARWISE]

I did, too. Love that series .. quite well done.

[SoCalPol]

I can walk 1 1/4 miles up the street and look out
at the USS Nimitz and USS Reagan here

[STARWISE]

Video ~~ USS Abraham Lincoln departs - March 17, 2008

Video ~~ USS Abraham Lincoln operations (awesome!)

[Solitar]

I can walk 1 1/4 miles up the street and look out at the USS Nimitz and USS Reagan here

Those two need to be over there, not here. We could use three carrier groups in that region -- and one full group in the eastern Mediterranean -- as a 'reminder' to Syria.

[STARWISE]

Must be so stirring. To see what these
young kids do is truly humbling.

[SunkenCiv]

That’s a nice one, I like it. When we send Ahmedeadman to Hell via whatever’s handy, we can say the same thing — “it was just a reminder”. ;’)

[STARWISE]

Amen.

[fredhead]

[SE Mom]

Gates has a dry sense of humor, doesn’t he? :)

...”a reminder”...

[Non-Sequitur]

But Gates flatly denied that the United States was preparing the ground for military strikes against Iran.

So...having two carriers there is a reminder that we're not going to attack them?

[flaglady47]

So...having two carriers there is a reminder that we’re not going to attack them?

The carrier is replacing the one that is currently there. That one will be leaving the Gulf area in two days, so they said on TV.

[Texas Mulerider]

Commander Jeff Davis, a US Navy spokesman, said the [USS Abraham] Lincoln would overlap with the departing carrier...

Interesting coincidence in names here...

[Buckhead]

Quite a bow wave in that pic.

[Non-Sequitur]

We could use three carrier groups in that region -- and one full group in the eastern Mediterranean -- as a 'reminder' to Syria.

We don't have enough to sustain that.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Nice to see. Carriers just don’t look right without an F-14 on the deck.

[dighton]

Video ~~ USS Abraham Lincoln operations (awesome!)

Audio, Mars in Gustav Holst’s The Planets. Nice fit.

[BroJoeK]

""We could use three carrier groups in that region -- and one full group in the eastern Mediterranean -- as a 'reminder' to Syria."

"We don't have enough to sustain that." "

Sure we do. More than enough. And we've done it in the past. Three+ carriers in the Indian Ocean, a couple in the Med.

The real question is, how many are needed, just as a "reminder" to Ahmanutjob that we're watching his a$$ pretty d*mn close?

[PghBaldy]

What is the frikking point of this? We’ve been talking and threatening for years, and they continue to arm themselves with nukes, continue to harbor terrorists and continue to kill US soldiers.

[Non-Sequitur]

Sure we do. More than enough. And we've done it in the past. Three+ carriers in the Indian Ocean, a couple in the Med.

We have 12 carriers. Two are in extended yard periods at any given time, so we have 10 deployable carriers. Keeping 3 in the Gulf and two in the Med would mean that they would spend 6 months deployed, six months at home. When are they supposed to do maintenance, work-ups, rest their crews, whatever?

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[Bender2]

Re: US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Tuesday the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf should be seen as a "reminder" of US military power in the region.

Why do I keep hearing in the back of my mind... George C. Scott saying "We're going to have to fight the Russians eventually anyway. It might as well be now while we've already got the army here to do it. Look, in ten days I'll have a war on with those Communist bastards, and I'll make it look like their fault!" while I stand up cheering!

[STARWISE]

Ping to video!

And whoever invented aircraft carriers and
steam launch catapults are geniuses.

God bless and protect our awesome troops.

[potlatch]

CATAPULT

[STARWISE]

Neat-o!

[potlatch]

Thank you! I just made it.

[STARWISE]

I can't imagine how y'all do that, especially if it's all html code. Makes my head hurt .. LOL

[potlatch]

That one was easy. Some take 8 or more hours and html is only used for the posting part.

I have to find the material, cut things out, lighten, darken, resize, paint and then start compositing - like the plane 9 times to get the movement.

Then I put all the frames together to get a moving GIF, lol.

Often makes my head hurt too!!

[dixiechick2000]

That’s lovely!
Thank you, potlatch!

That noise you hear is the sound of freedom!

[potlatch]

Thank you DC.
There was a pier, small boats, a shoreline and buildings that I had to paint out in that background!! Couldn’t make one of a landing so just made a ‘by pass’ one.

[dixiechick2000]

The plane is buzzing the “boat”.
Or, maybe it’s a fly-by? ;o)

[devolve]

.

Super animation potlatch!

[Solitar]

We have 12 carriers. Two are in extended yard periods at any given time, so we have 10 deployable carriers. Keeping 3 in the Gulf and two in the Med would mean that they would spend 6 months deployed, six months at home. When are they supposed to do maintenance, work-ups, rest their crews, whatever?

During the 3 months out of 12 that they are home (3 months, not 6 months). That allows seven carriers to be deployed -- Northern Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, West Pacific (and the three at home resting should be ready to go on a week's notice). No? The USS Saratoga was in port for repair and overhaul maybe 12 months out of 45 months during WWII. One deployed stretch lasted 12 months. There was a war on then. There is a war on now.

[potlatch]

Thanks devolve, I first posted it on another thread and pinged you there.

[Non-Sequitur]

No?

No.

[BroJoeK]

"We have 12 carriers."

First, are we at peace or war? If we are at peace, then yes, we need lots and lots of R&R for crews, down time for ships, keep deployments short and save lots of money on operating expenses.

If we are at war, then rules change, and life can get tougher on our armed forces.

Second, the simplest way to "surge" forces is just what the Navy is doing now -- overlap deployments for a time. It's not a long term increase, but does "send a message" when needed.

Third, we might note, what most countries call their "carriers," we would call "light carriers," and don't have any. But we do have a number of carrier-like amphibious assault ships. These can also send a pretty potent "message" of their own...

[Non-Sequitur]

If we are at war, then rules change, and life can get tougher on our armed forces.

Until you overwork your crews and they leave the service in waves. Then your ships are worthless if you have nobody to man them.

There is no reason for deploying the number of carriers he is suggesting. There is no need for three in the Gulf and two in the Med. One can handle all the needs of Iraq in combination with the air force.

[Disco Dave]

Dude, you are famous!!...

Buckhead's featured in DC's grand new Newseum!!

Regards...Dave

[Disco Dave]

Dude, you are famous!!...

Buckhead's featured in DC's grand new Newseum!!

Regards...Dave

[BroJoeK]

"There is no reason for deploying the number of carriers he is suggesting. There is no need for three in the Gulf and two in the Med. One can handle all the needs of Iraq in combination with the air force. "

Exactly.

The enemy needs to see one carrier group, and to
understand that if he messes with it, he'll face eleven more, plus
untold other military assets which
will definitely screw up his morning, and
make it very difficult for him to:

"HAVE A NICE DAY!"